NICOLA Sturgeon warned David Cameron that it cannot be "business as usual" and that Scotland could not be ignored.

 

The SNP leader was in London following the General Election count, to mark Victory in Europe day alongside other political leaders, including the Prime Minister.

Speaking outside Westminster, Ms Sturgeon said she had congratulated Mr Cameron, whose Conservative Party won a majority.

She said: "I briefly spoke to the Prime Minister this afternoon and made it clear it cannot be business as usual.

"It was a brief call - it was an opportunity to congratulate him.

"I didn't want him to be Prime Minister again but he has won the election. He was gracious to congratulate the SNP on their success."

The First Minister said they would meet "as soon as possible" for discussions.

Ms Sturgeon said: "The Government cannot ignore what happened in Scotland yesterday.

"And it cannot be business as usual. There has to be a recognition that people in Scotland voted in significant numbers for an end to austerity, voted for stronger investment in our public services and voted for a more empowered Scottish parliament so these issues that we put at the heart of our election campaign - our SNP MPs will now seek to put at the heart of the House of Commons."

Ms Sturgeon said it would be "completely unacceptable" for the Conservatives to ignore voters north of the border.

She added: "Scotland didn't just vote in small numbers, some of the swings we saw in Scotland yesterday were unprecedented in Westminster political history.

"Scotland decisively voted against austerity and for an alternative approach."

It is understood Ms Sturgeon will tomorrow meet her 56 MPs - including seven from Glasgow - in Queensferry, near Edinburgh, following the historic landslide.

Ms Sturgeon called it a "result of historic proportions".

The First Minister was also keen to stress that the SNP victory did not signal another referendum.

She said: "I said during the election that this election wasn't about independence and it wasn't a vote for a second referendum.

" I said very explicitly and very directly to the voters in Scotland: if you vote for the SNP I will not take your vote as an endorsement of independence.

"I'm not going to turn my back on that, I'm going to stick to my word.

" If there's ever another referendum on independence in Scotland that will only come about if people vote for that in a Scottish parliament election."

Ms Sturgeon said it was instead about making "Scotland's voice heard", adding that the 56 SNP MPs "intend to do" that.